Could Jamie Foxx’s ‘meltdown’ derail Cameron Diaz’s movie return?
Cameron Diaz has a number of fans who probably won’t be happy with the news that their first chance to see her in a movie in nearly a decade has been thrown “into chaos” because her co-star Jamie Foxx had a “meltdown” and fired a bunch of people involved in the production.
Diaz and Foxx have been in London since December filming “Back in Action,” an action-comedy for Netflix, People reported. The movie marks Diaz’s first film since 2014, when she co-starred with Foxx in an adaptation of the Broadway musical “Annie.”
But The Sun reported that the production hasn’t gone smoothly. Foxx fired an executive producer, two directors and even his own driver, making himself “pretty unpopular” in the process, The Sun said.
“There have been some issues on set and Jamie has had a major meltdown over it all,” a source told The Sun.
Sources close to Diaz have told a difference story, with one telling People: “Cameron has been filming in London for several weeks. She was nervous before she arrived in London, but then very excited.”
“Filming has been amazing. Cameron really enjoys it,” the source added to People. “They have been doing a lot of nighttime filming. It hasn’t bothered her, because she is jet-lagged anyway.”
Diaz formally announced her retirement in 2018, but it was announced last spring that she would return to acting by starring alongside Foxx. In August, Foxx boasted that he was the one who coaxed Diaz out of retirement, telling Entertainment Tonight that she is “such an incredible force.” He said he asked her, “Do you wanna have some fun? Just have some fun!’ And I think that’s what brought her to it. … We’re so happy that it’s happening and looking forward to it.”
Diaz become known throughout the 1990s and 2000s for her bubbly personality and gift for comedy. She left fans dismayed when she stepped away from the business after “Annie” in 2014. She focused instead on other ventures: publishing books about health, investing in heath and biotech startups and launching an organic wine brand. In 2019, she and her husband, rock musician Benji Madden, became parents to a daughter, via a surrogate.
Foxx also said on Twitter that he asked Tom Brady to help him bring Diaz out of retirement. He shared a recording of a phone call between him, Diaz and Brady in which the former NFL quarterback said he would talk to her about the benefits of “un-retiring.”
Cameron I hope you aren’t mad I recorded this, but no turning back now. Had to call in the GOAT to bring back another GOAT. @CameronDiaz and I are BACK IN ACTION – our new movie with @NetflixFilm. Production starting later this year!! pic.twitter.com/vyaGrUmbWb
— Jamie Foxx (@iamjamiefoxx) June 29, 2022
Of course, Brady’s “un-retirement” was a mixed bag. He played well in his final season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but he lost his marriage to Gisele Bundchen and ended up retiring anyway.
Diaz was first photographed on the London set of “Back in Action” in December, then again in February when she was seen during a nighttime shoot, cruising on a speedboat on the River Thames, Metro reported.
Behind the scenes, at least according to The Sun, the production has been “in chaos,” due to Foxx. To sort out the “problems” in the production, Foxx “sacked four of the production staff — as if that would magically improve the situation,” a source said.
The source added: “Some people working on it are totally fed up with how this has played out and Jamie has become pretty unpopular.”
Netflix has yet to announce a release date for “Back in Action.”